Would Apple really make an iPhone mini?

[fjtorres]

Actually, they need a 6in iPhone XL more than a smaller one..
That way they would be selling iPxxx devices at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 inches.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by WillysJeepMan

... an inexpensive iPhone...

Does not compute...error...error...error...

[LovesMacs]

Apple could always make a phone with the form factor of the current iPod shuffle and make the Dick Tracy wristwatch a reality.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by LovesMacs

Apple could always make a phone with the form factor of the current iPod shuffle and make the Dick Tracy wristwatch a reality.

I was amazed how many wrist watch phones are already out there.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_i_...qid=1357585621

Graham

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by Graham

I was amazed how many wrist watch phones are already out there.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_i_...qid=1357585621

Graham

I gave up and sold most of my old and vintage watches except the very special ones I am going to leave to a few loved ones come the day, and have only looked at some of the new ways the modern ones do the dial with gps, distance, pulse, and cameras but a PHONE watch!

I am going to look into that. As long as my prepay doesn't say it is a smart phone.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I gave up and sold most of my old and vintage watches except the very special ones I am going to leave to a few loved ones come the day, and have only looked at some of the new ways the modern ones do the dial with gps, distance, pulse, and cameras but a PHONE watch!

I am going to look into that. As long as my prepay doesn't say it is a smart phone.

A phone watch would be nice, or short an iWatch - with builtin camera as parental control.

[Ti-Ron]

Like this? iPod+watch

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by Ti-Ron

Like this? iPod+watch

Yes. Only iPhone and watch

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

The iPod touch is the same size as the iPhone 5.

It is the budget version I was addressing--but I thought it was the size of the older iPhones. Unless the newer version grew also?

I don't think there's a demand for smaller touchscreen smartphones unless we intend small children to use them, because fingers aren't getting any smaller.

[fjtorres]

ZDNET has a nicely contrarian take on the idea of a cheaper iPhone:
http://www.zdnet.com/why-apple-doesn...84/?s_cid=e539

Given that the iPhone continues to sell really well -- we'll see how good sales were over the last quarter come the next earnings report due January 24 -- it's hard to see a real justification for a cheaper iPhone. A radically cheaper iPhone would undoubtedly cannibalize sales from the higher priced (and higher profit margin) handsets. Analysts are already speculating that the iPad mini is cannibalizing sales of the full-sized iPad, despite the petite tablet being a premium product with a premium price tag.

Throwing a significantly cheaper iPhone into the market could be good for sales, but if Apple tries to boost market share at the expense of profit margins, then it could be interpreted as the Cupertino giant blinking in the face of competition from Android and manufacturers such as Samsung and HTC.

What has happened to the PC market and the associated PC OEMs shows what happens when prices are slashed in favor of market share. This is not a road that Apple wants to start going down.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

ZDNET has a nicely contrarian take on the idea of a cheaper iPhone:
http://www.zdnet.com/why-apple-doesn...84/?s_cid=e539

On the other hand, Apple cannot afford to lose market share either. Soon the iPhone is going to be a niche product. If you cannot compete with features, you are going to have to compete with price. If you are not willing to do that, then you might hope that clever advertising is going to drag new customers and keep old ones in the ever more expensive growing iLifestye (compared to continuously improving and cheaper alternatives).

There would be only one sad thing if Apple follows the DoDo into extintion: Who are we going to point fingers to for having too high profit margins?

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Joykins

It is the budget version I was addressing--but I thought it was the size of the older iPhones. Unless the newer version grew also?

I don't think there's a demand for smaller touchscreen smartphones unless we intend small children to use them, because fingers aren't getting any smaller.

Yes the iPod Touch grew like the new iPhones. 4" screen.

A nearby little neighbor girl, about 4th grade, has one and is very delighted with it.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

There would be only one sad thing if Apple follows the DoDo into extintion: Who are we going to point fingers to for having too high profit margins?

Don't worry, that's a variation of the Least Interesting Number paradox.
Call it the "Most Reviled Company" variant.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

On the other hand, Apple cannot afford to lose market share either. Soon the iPhone is going to be a niche product. If you cannot compete with features, you are going to have to compete with price.

Apple can easily afford to lose market share...
...as long as they're racking up a cool billion a month in net profit.

There are plenty of successful, influential, and *profitable* companies who live off niche products. There are also a lot of irrelevant money-losing niche vendors. "Niche product" is a not an insult the way "poorly run company" is.

Check the history of Palm Computing (if you're not familiar with it) for a case study of how the blind pursuit of market share can destroy a company.

Short version: they focused on high volume/low margin connected organizers while MS focused on corporate Pocket computers and cherry-picked the best (read:affluent) customers. At one point, Palm had 70% market share and zero profits while PocketPC had 30% unit share and 100% of the profits.

[Joykins]

Originally Posted by frahse

Yes the iPod Touch grew like the new iPhones. 4" screen.

A nearby little neighbor girl, about 4th grade, has one and is very delighted with it.

My kids have one and they love it but I do not love it when they fight over it.